What NHN KCP does

NHN KCP is a South Korean payment gateway service provider and majority-owned subsidiary of NHN, originally founded in 1994 as Korea Cyber Payment and rebranded to its current name in 2023. The company holds the No. 1 position in Korean online VAN (Value Added Network) market share and open market transactions, operating as a licensed payment gateway, cash receipt issuing agency, and (as of December 2024) prepaid electronic payment instrument issuer. NHN KCP provides end-to-end payment infrastructure spanning online credit card processing, bank transfers, virtual accounts, mobile carrier billing, and offline acceptance via terminals, kiosks, and POS systems, with proprietary add-ons including KCP PAY (merchant-branded simplified payments), BUYLINK (payment link service), KCP POS+ (cloud POS), Cherryforce (free cloud POS), and Decision Manager fraud detection via VISA/CyberSource.

The company's revenue model is predominantly transaction-fee based on payment processing volume, supplemented by hardware sales/rentals of terminals and POS systems and by professional integration services for enterprise clients. NHN KCP serves a diverse merchant base across e-commerce (Coupang, Musinsa, BnJ Market), offline retail and food service (Tesla Korea, Zara Korea, No Brand Burger, Ediya, Oasis Market), gaming platforms (NHN Han Game), and B2B enterprise clients (Henkel Korea via Deutsche Bank partnership). The company operates an API-first platform with developer documentation, sandbox testing, JavaScript SDK/MCP server integration, and multi-language support, alongside direct enterprise sales motion and online self-service application for SMBs.

Strategic positioning centers on being the dominant Korean payment infrastructure provider with expanding international reach through Adyen (2018), Shopee (2021), Deutsche Bank (2026), and Ava Labs (2026) partnerships. The Ava Labs collaboration represents a notable diversification into blockchain-based payment infrastructure with a payment-specialized Layer 1 network, while the prepaid electronic payment license opens a stored-value payment vertical. The company maintains its headquarters in Seoul's Guro district at 72 Digital-ro 26-gil, with a Singapore subsidiary for regional operations.

Name

NHN KCP

Legal name

엔에이치엔케이씨피 주식회사

Website

https://kcp.co.kr

Company type

Private

Founded year

1994

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

NHN KCP is South Korea's No. 1 online payment gateway provider, offering online (credit cards, bank transfers, mobile billing) and offline (terminals, POS, kiosks) payment processing to thousands of merchants across e-commerce, retail, gaming, and enterprise B2B verticals, with strategic partnerships spanning Adyen, Deutsche Bank, and Ava Labs.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Payment Gateway and Payment Processing Services

akta.pro primary industry

Integrated Payment Processors (PSP/Acquirer) (FSAMABAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Integrated POS Payments (ISVs & Vertical POS Platforms) (FSAMADAD), Crypto Merchant Acquirers & PSPs (Payment Service Providers) (FSADAIAB)

Keywords

• Payment gateway services
• Online payment processing
• Mobile payment solutions
• POS systems
• Contactless NFC payments

Headquarters

HQ city

Bucheon

HQ country

South Korea

HQ region

Asia

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Software

Cost components

Technology or R&D, Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Supply Chain

Revenue model

1. Payment Processing Fees: NHN KCP charges transaction fees per payment processed through its payment gateway. The company facilitates credit card, account transfer, virtual account, mobile phone payment, and other payment methods, earning commissions on each transaction.
2. Terminal and Hardware Sales: Sale and rental of offline payment terminals, POS systems, kiosks, and card readers to merchant customers.
3. Technology Integration Services: Professional services for payment system integration, API support, and dedicated technical assistance for enterprise customers.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

NHN KCP is a South Korean payment service company that provides end-to-end payment gateway and processing infrastructure for merchants. The platform supports online and offline payment acceptance across credit cards (domestic and international), bank transfers, virtual accounts, mobile phone billing, NFC contactless payments, gift certificates, and prepaid electronic payment instruments. The company also offers merchant-branded simplified payments (KCP PAY), payment links (BUYLINK), cloud-based POS systems (Cherryforce, KCP POS+), fraud management (Decision Manager), escrow, and payment agency services for open marketplaces.

Product overview

NHN KCP is a comprehensive payment platform offering both online and offline payment processing services. The core platform provides online payment services (credit cards, bank transfers, virtual accounts, mobile billing, gift certificates, autopay) and offline payment acceptance (card terminals, kiosks, POS, readers). The product portfolio includes proprietary add-on modules like KCP PAY (merchant-branded simplified payment), BUYLINK (payment links), KCP POS+ (cloud POS), Decision Manager (fraud detection), Escrow, and Payment Agency services. The company also operates specialized solutions including Cherryforce (cloud POS), Terminal the Black (all-in-one terminal), Bibeet (startup support app), mobile voucher services, and golf practice range solutions. The platform integrates with major global payment networks (VISA, Mastercard, JCB, WeChat Pay, Alipay), mobile carriers for phone payments, and provides APIs and sandbox testing for merchant integration.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• KCP PAY: Merchant-specific simple payment service allowing custom payment pages and API integration
• BUYLINK
• KCP POS+
• Cherryforce
• Biveet
• Cherry POS

Products and services

• Online Payment Service Comprehensive online payment processing service for e-commerce merchants accepting credit cards (domestic/international), bank transfers, virtual accounts, mobile phone billing, gift certificates, OK Cashbag points, autopay subscriptions, and ARS payments.
• Offline Payment Service Offline payment acceptance solutions including card terminals, kiosks, POS systems, card readers, and integrated pads with signature capture, routing transactions between merchants and card networks via KCP's payment gateway.
• KCP PAY Merchant-branded simplified payment service enabling businesses to create their own custom payment interface through simple API integration, with high transaction approval rates and one-click payments/account transfers.
• BUYLINK Payment link service that enables merchants to send checkout links to customers via chat, email, or messaging apps, supporting both e-commerce and peer-to-peer transactions without requiring a shopping mall platform.
• KCP POS+ Cloud-based POS solution providing comprehensive store management including inventory, sales tracking, customer management, and payment processing in a single platform.
• Cherryforce Cloud-based free POS (Point of Sale) application service for small merchants, providing affordable store management tools.
• Terminal the Black All-in-one payment terminal providing comprehensive offline payment acceptance capabilities with card terminals.
• Bibeet On/offline startup support mobile application that helps entrepreneurs manage both online and offline business operations including payments.
• PayOn NFC Payment Service Korea's first NFC payment service enabling contactless mobile payments, based on NHN KCP's NFC patents registered in 2014.
• Prepaid Electronic Payment Service Prepaid electronic payment instrument issuance and management service, leveraging NHN KCP's prepaid electronic payment instrument license registered in December 2024.
• NFC Self-Ordering Kiosk Self-ordering kiosk with NFC (Near Field Communication) functionality for offline merchant automation.
• Decision Manager Fraud detection solution powered by VISA's CyberSource global database that identifies fraudulent credit card transactions and protects merchants from payment fraud losses.
• Escrow Service Buyer protection service that holds payment until buyer confirms receipt of goods, providing transaction safety for both buyers and sellers in e-commerce.
• Payment Agency Service Open marketplace settlement service that manages sales proceeds distribution to individual sellers, with NHN KCP settling payments to each merchant on behalf of the marketplace platform.
• Mobile Voucher Service Mobile meal voucher service with approximately 70,000 acceptance locations supporting remote work meal allowances and overtime meal provisions.
• Cash Receipt Service Government-mandated cash receipt reporting service that electronically transmits transaction details to the National Tax Service for all cash transactions processed by merchants.
• Mobile Phone Authentication Identity verification service using mobile carrier registration information instead of resident registration numbers, providing safe and convenient real-name verification for online services.
• Golf Practice Range Total Solution Integrated golf practice range management solution including POS, kiosk, and mobile app for tee-time reservation, bay assignment, and member management.
• Mobile Payment / Distribution Payment App Smartphone-based payment collection app enabling merchants to process payments, issue cash receipts, and monitor collection status without dedicated terminal hardware.

Quantifiable outcome

• Q1 2026 revenue of 671.4 billion KRW, up 11.9% year-on-year
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers11 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

Yes

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration20 records

Feature6 records

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Ava LabscoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 14 April 2026NHN KCP signed MOU with Ava Labs, developer of Avalanche blockchain, to jointly develop a payment-specialized Layer 1 blockchain network. The partnership aims to enable sub-second payment approvals, on-chain encryption for transaction data, and customizable infrastructure for merchants. Initial focus is on proof-of-concept before expanding to international financial networks, contingent on Korea's evolving crypto regulatory framework.
• Deutsche BankcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 20 January 2026Deutsche Bank, in partnership with NHN KCP, was appointed as payment gateway service provider for Henkel Korea's B2B platform supporting beauty brands including Shiseido Professional and Schwarzkopf Professional. The partnership combines Deutsche Bank's global payments network with NHN KCP's market-leading payment gateway technologies for secure online transactions including credit cards and bank transfers. Both companies aim to expand this integrated payment model to other multinational clients.
• ShopeeminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 June 2021Southeast Asia's largest e-commerce platform Shopee partnered with NHN KCP in 2021 for partnership and business cooperation, enabling Korean merchants to access Shopee's regional e-commerce network.
• AdyencoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 June 2018NHN KCP established strategic partnership with Adyen in June 2018 to provide international payment processing capabilities, enabling merchants to accept global payment methods and expand into international markets through Adyen's worldwide payment network.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves13 records

Expansion highlights8 records

Market position

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/@nhnkcp
• Instagraminstagram.com/nhn_kcp_official
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/korea-cyber-payment

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 records

Subsidiaries3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about NHN KCP